Numbers 17 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Numbers 17.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/num/17/1/s_134001

Meditate on verses 7-8.

 

So, Moses deposited the rods before the

 LORD in the tent of the testimony.

Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony;

 and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had

sprouted and put forth buds and produced

 blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.

 

Imagine 12 rods, 12 lifeless walking sticks, being placed in the tabernacle for a day; within 24 hours, one of those dead rods miraculously sprouts and produces ripe almonds.  Incredible!  That is exactly what happened to Aaron’s rod when it was placed in the presence of God.  There could be no doubt among the Israelites whom God had chosen to lead His people.

 

Aaron’s rod is a picture of your soul.  Apart from Christ, you are lifeless and dead, but when you encounter the presence of God, you are made miraculously alive—sprouting, putting forth buds, producing blossoms, and bearing ripe almonds.  Amazing!

 

Ask the LORD to make you and those you love like Aaron’s rod, producing fruit for His glory.  Pray Numbers 17:7-8 and 11 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, I deposit _________ and me before You.

Please make us sprout, put forth

buds, and produce blossoms.

Let us bear ripe almonds.

May it be said of us: ‘They did just as the

 LORD commanded, so they did.’

For the glory of Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Numbers 16 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Numbers 16.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/num/16/1/s_133001

Meditate on verses 4, 22a, and 45b.

 

When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.  But

 they fell on their faces.  Then they fell on their faces.

 

Three times in this chapter you see Moses facedown before the LORD.  He fell on his face because people spoke evil, threatening words to him, and twice, he and Aaron fell on their faces when God threatened to destroy the Israelites (vs. 1-4, 20-22, 41-45).  This face to the ground prayer position says, “LORD, I really need Your help!”  Moses knew he needed to speak God’s words to rebellious Korah not his own retaliatory comments.  Moses knew to approach God in humility on behalf of the people, begging God to spare them.

 

What is your first response to someone who is threatening you or your loved ones?  Fall on your face before God, seeking His help and wisdom in the distressful situation.  Fall on your face before God, asking Him to help you and your family repent and live holy to Him. 

 

As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), fall on your face and start praying with Numbers 16:22.

 

“O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will

 You be angry with the entire congregation?

God, please do not be angry with _______ and me.

(Stay on your face and continue talking

 to God about your life situations.)

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Numbers 15 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Numbers 15.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/num/15/1/s_132001

Meditate on verse 39.  The LORD is speaking.

 

"It shall be a tassel for you to look at and

 remember all the commandments of the LORD,

 so as to do them and not follow after your own heart

 and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot.”

 

Have you ever been given this advice: “Follow your heart”?  Or have you ever said, “My heart told me to…”?  This is what God says about the heart:

 

The heart is more deceitful than all else and

is desperately sick; who can understand it?

—Jeremiah 17:9

 

Yet they did not obey or incline their ear but walked

 in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their

evil heart and went backward and not forward.

—Jeremiah 7:24

 

God says do not follow your heart because it is deceitful.  However, when you delight yourself in God and His Word, He will give your heart His desires (Psalm 37:4), so you can move forward with Him instead of backward.

 

Pray Numbers 15:39-41 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, help ________ and me remember

all Your commandments

 so as to do them and not follow after our own

 heart and our own eyes.  Do not let us play the harlot

 but help us remember to do all Your commandments

and be holy to You, God.  You are

 the LORD our God who brought

 us out from slavery to sin to be our God.

You are the LORD our God, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Numbers 14 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Numbers 14.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/num/14/1/s_131001

Meditate on verse 11.

 

The LORD said to Moses, "How long

will this people spurn Me?

And how long will they

not believe in Me, despite all

the signs which I have

 performed in their midst?”

 

The consequences of grumbling disobedience were severe for the Israelites.  Instead of taking possession of God’s abundant promised land, He sentenced them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, until every male, twenty years old and older, died (vs. 28-29).  Only Joshua and Caleb were spared God’s judgment because they did not complain against and distrust the LORD.  Imagine the women and children burying their husbands, brothers, fathers, and grandfathers for 40 years, until all of the unfaithful complainers were dead.  What a needless tragedy—the children suffered for 40 years because of their fathers’ unfaithfulness (v. 33)! 

 

As you take God’s Word to heart, commit to living in thankful obedience with the LORD instead of in discontented rebellion to Him.  Ask God to make you like Joshua and Caleb, so your family does not suffer for your unfaithfulness.

 

This chapter is rich with verses to pray over yourself and your loved ones.  Pray Numbers 14:9, 17, 24, and 33, plus other verses you find, as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, do not let __________ and me rebel against You.

Do not let us fear the people of the land.

 LORD, You are with us; do not let us fear people.

Now I pray, let Your power be great in

 my family, just as You have declared, LORD!

Make us like Your servant Caleb who

 had a different spirit and followed You fully.

Make us faithful, so our children

 do not suffer for our unfaithfulness.

Because You are faithful, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Numbers 13 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Numbers 13.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/num/13/1/s_130001

Meditate on verses 27-28 and 30.

 

Thus, they told him, and said, "We went into the land

where you sent us; and it certainly does flow

with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.

Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong,

 and the cities are fortified and very large;

 and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there.”

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses

 and said, "We should by all means go up and take

 possession of it, for we will surely overcome it."

 

With whom do you relate to more in this story — confident Caleb or the spineless spies?  The very first words of the story are from God’s lips, promising to give the Israelites this incredible land flowing with milk and honey (vs. 1-2).  Yet, after spying out the land, the men returned with their eyes fixed on giants instead of Almighty God.  The consequences of their faithless report were disastrous.

 

What has God told you to do that makes you squirm in fear because it requires you to do it in His strength and not your own?  Has God given you a vision for your family that is impossible to achieve without Him?  Ask God to make you a faith-filled, Christ-confident Caleb.  Ask Him to give you His perspective on His will for your life.  Do not make decisions based on fear; make them based on God’s promises, knowing nothing is too difficult for Him (Jeremiah 32:17).

 

As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), pray Numbers 13:30 over yourself and those you love to be obedient to God’s commands.

 

“LORD, at Your command, _______ and I should by all

means go up and take possession of what You tell us,

for we will surely overcome it.

With Your power, Jesus~”

 

 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Numbers 12 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Numbers 12.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/num/12/1/s_129001

Meditate on verses 1-2.

 

Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses

 because of the Cushite woman whom he had

 married (for he had married a Cushite woman);

and they said, “Has the LORD indeed

spoken only through Moses? 

Has He not spoken through us as well?”

 And the LORD heard it.

 

 

Oops!  The LORD heard Miriam and Aaron grumble against Moses, and He held them responsible for their sinful words.  Amazingly, Moses interceded on behalf of those who spoke ill of him.  “Oh, LORD, give us a faithful, humble heart like Moses!”

 

The LORD hears what we say.  The LORD sees what we do.  The LORD knows what we think.  I wonder if Miriam and Aaron knew God was listening when they complained about Moses.  I wonder if they would have stopped themselves from saying the regrettable if they had thought about what was said in the presence of God.  I wonder… I wonder if knowing this story will make a difference in your life and mine.  Will knowing God hears, sees, and knows cause us to pause and consider the consequences the next time we are tempted to grumble about others?  I pray it does!  I pray it will keep us from sinning with our mouths (Psalm 39:1).

 

Use the words from Numbers 12:11 and 13, asking God to forgive and heal you and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“Oh, my LORD, I beg You, do not

account this sin to ________ and me

 in which we have acted foolishly

and in which we have sinned.

 O God, heal us, I pray!

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Numbers 11 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Numbers 11.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/num/11/1/s_128001

Meditate on verse 1.

 

Now the people became like those who complain of

 adversity in the hearing of the LORD, and when the

LORD heard it, His anger was kindled, and the

fire of the LORD burned among them

and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.

 

Oh, the whining and complaining in this chapter!  Despite being miraculously freed from slave-owners, the Israelites wistfully longed for Egyptian fish (v. 5).  Despite being hand-picked by God to lead His people, Moses bemoaned God’s calling, making it a personal burden (v. 11).  Despite the refreshing sound of prophecy amongst a grumbling camp, a young man complained to Moses about the Spirit-led act (vs. 26-29).  And, the chapter ends with a bunch of grumblers greedily gathering God’s generous provision of quail, angering the LORD to such a degree He struck and killed them (v. 33).  This place of grumbling and greed was named Kibroth-hattaavah, which means “graves of greediness” (v. 34).¹   What a poignant picture of greediness being an open grave desiring to consume you!

 

Allow God’s Word to examine you for areas of greed and grumbling.  Repent quickly and determine to live in continual praise and thanksgiving to God for His provision and calling on your life and the lives of those around you. 

 

Pray for Numbers 11:1 not to describe you and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“Do not let ________ and me become like those who

complain of adversity in Your hearing, LORD. 

We do not want Your anger kindled

and Your fire to burn among us and consume us.

We will praise You by Your Spirit, Jesus~”

 

 

 

 

1.      Retrieved from The New Inductive Study Bible@2000 Precept Ministries International. pg. 242

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell